Since opening in 2001, Papago Brewing Company has become one of the Valley's best-known breweries —thanks in no small part to the popularity of its best-selling Papago Orange Blossom mandarin wheat beer. But the brewery's location in the Papago Plaza Shopping Center has made brewing on-site all but impossible, which is why the brewhouse has always outsourced the production of its beers to other local beer makers.

Enter Huss Brewing Co. The Tempe brewery, owned by the husband-and-wife team of Leah and Jeff Huss, has already crafted each of Papago's beers and, as of last month, has officially acquired the Scottsdale brewery. Huss, which was founded in 2013, was already one of Arizona's fastest growing breweries, and following the acquisition is on track on finish the year as the third-largest brewery in the state behind Tempe's Four Peaks Brewery and San Tan Brewing in Chandler.

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“Most important, acquiring the Papago beer brands ensures that the brand will stay in Arizona and not be bought by an out-of-state or international conglomerate,” Leah Huss says in a statement about the acquisition.

The deal to acquire Papago closed in late August for an undisclosed amount, and was brokered by Los Angeles-based First Beverage Group. That group also handled Anheuser Busch’s acquisition of Four Peaks Brewing last December, a sale that upset many Arizona craft beer lovers. The Scottsdale craft beer bar and restaurant were not part of the deal, and will continue to operate and use the Papago Brewing name under license.